Prefabricated building construction



Nov. 14, 1967 c. D. HIPPLE 3,352,073

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Chester D. Hipp/e H/.S` ATTORNEYS Nov. 14, 1967 c. D. HIPPLE PHEF'ABRICATED BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet .2

Filed April 20, 1965 INVENTOR.

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Nov. 14, 1967 c. D. HIPPLE I PREFABRICATED BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 20, 1965 INVENTOR. Chas/ef D. Hipp/e H/S` ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,352,073 PREFABRICATED BUILDING CGNSTRUCTION Chester D. Hippie, 2639 Linwood Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15214 Filed' Apr. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 449,571 7 Claims. (Cl. 52-208) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLSURE A post and rafter type arrangement having a wall construction made up of separate panels, each of which is joined at a panel end to the length of a post. A pair of posts a-re assembled in abutting relationship by a connector to locate the panels end-to-end of one another. A continuous post-panel wall may be interrupted by frames for windows and doors. These frames carry extending flanges for engagement with the posts and connectors. The top of selected posts may be slotted at right angles to their lengths and a section of a transversely extending rafter to support a roof t into the slot.

This application relates to a prefabricated building construction, more specifically, a prefabiicated building construction in which the walls are made of sections comprising solid wall sections, window sections and door sections, which sections are manufactured separately prior to assembly in the eld to form a wall and which can be easily assembled on the building site by means of simple connectors and with a minimum of tools.

' My prefabricated building construction is characterized by simplicity and low cost in construction and assembly. It is of the post and rafter beam type and a particular feature of my invention is the construction of posts forming part of the w-all sections for the building and of rafter beams supporting the roof of the building whereby the posts and rafter beams can be easily and permanently connected to each other Briefly stated, my Prefabricated building construction comprises a plurality of wall sections positioned side by side. Each section has a panel composed of a foamed plastic core and a facing board secured to each side of the core. At each side of the panel, there is a post having a longitudinally extending slot in the side of the post which faces the other post. A foamed plastic core extends between the sides of the posts which face each other. One of the facing boards extends into the slots and the other facing board extends across the surfaces of the posts which parallel the slots and is secured to the surfaces. A U- shaped sheet metal connector holds two abutting wall sections to each other. The base of the U-shaped metal connector extends across the surfaces of the posts of two abutting sections and the flanges of the U-shaped piece extend to the slots in the posts and have inwardly turned end portions which extend into the slots. At least one of the wall sections has a panel which is shorter than the posts, into which a window frame is inserted between the posts and above the panel. A flange along each side of the window frame extends into the slot in the opposed post. Each frame also has a flange which engages the facing board which extends across the surface of the post.

Mice

In another embodiment, a door frame fits between two wall sections. The door frame has, along each side, a laterally extending flange which engages the connector on the abutting wall section and a laterally extending flange which engages the surface of the abutting wall section opposite the surface engaged by the connector.

Also disclosed is a novel post and rafter beam construction wherein each post of an abutting pair has a cut-out portion adjacent its upper end. Each facing board which extends across the posts has a complementary cut-out portion so that a section of a rafter beam extending at right angles to the posts can be supported thereby. A slot in the connector joining the posts extends from the top of the connector around the sides and bottom of such beam. Of course, the post and rafter beam construction is also applicable to the wall construction previously described wherein a plurality of wall sections are joined to the posts to form a prefabricated building.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a presently preferred embodiment of my invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a side of a building embodying my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section along the line II-II of FIG- URE l but on an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 3 is a section along the line III--III of FIG- URE l but on an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 4 is a section along the line IV-IV of FIG- URE l but on an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 5 is a section along the line V-V of FIG- URE l but on an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 6 is a section along the line VI-VI of FIG- URE 1 but on an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view partially in section showing the connection between two solidV wall sections forming part of a wall of my prefabricated building construction; v

FIGURE 8 is a broken isometric view showing the connection between posts forming parts of wall sections and roof rafter beams; and

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged view of the portion encircled in a cli-ain line in FIGURE 8.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, my prefabricated building construction comprises a plurality of Wall sections positioned side by side and held together, in a manner hereinafter described, on a plate 9 which is bolted to a concrete footer 10. The wall sections shown in FIG- URE l comprise a window section 11, a door section 12 and three solid wall sections 13. Posts forming part of each wall section support rafter beams (not shown in FIGURE 1) which in turn support a roof 14.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 7, each solid wall section comprises a panel in the form of a sandwich having a foamed plastic core 15 to the surfaces of whicl. facing boards 16 and 17 are adhesively secured. The foamed plastic core may be foamed polystyrene, foamed polyethylene, foarned polyester plastic, etc., and the facing boards may be plywood, hardwood boards, vegetable liber boards, cement asbestos boards, gypsum boards, etc. The panel and its manufacture are described in detail in the United States Patent No. 3,111,787.

Posts 1S having the height of the wall sections abut against the sides of the formed plastic cores 15. The

sides of the posts of each section which face each other have longitudinally extending slots 19 into which the board facings 16 extend and these extensions of the board facings are secured by adhesive to the posts 13. The 4board facings 17 extend across the full width of surfaces of the posts 18 which parallel the slots 19 and are secured to these post surfaces by adhesive.

The solid wall sections just described are fabricated in a factory prior to assembly at a building site. When assembled, the board facings 17 which extend across the width of the posts form the interior wall of the building and the board acings 16 which extend into the slots 19 of the posts form part of the outside wall of the building. Before or after assembly the board facings 17 may be covered with a dry wall paper 17a.

FIGURE 7 shows on an enlarged scale how two solid wall sections 13 are held together in an assembled building. The two sections are positioned on the plate 9 side by side with their respective posts 18 abutting and are held in that position -by connectors 2t] which are also shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. They are shallow U-shaped sheet metal pieces having a base 21 and anges 22. The ends of the flanges 22 have inward-ly turned end portions 23. After the solid wall sections 13 have been assembled side by side on the plate 9 as sho-wn in FIGURE 7, the connectors are slid down over the outside of the posts 18 so that the base 20 of each connector extends across both posts 18 and the inwardly turned portions 23 of the flanges extend into the longitudinally extending slots 19. The base of each connector 20 has a downwardly extending portion without flanges which extends below the posts 18 and along the -front of the plate 9 to the footer 10 and the connector is secured to the plate 9 by lag screws 24.

FIGURES 3 and 6 show the construction of the window sections. These sections have a solid panel 2S constructed in the same manner as the solid panels 13 but having only half the height of the solid panels. Posts 18 forming part of the panel 25, however, extend the full height of the section. An extruded metal window frame 2'6 is slid from the top of the section down between the posts 18 until it engages the top of the panel 25. The sides of the window frame have the same cross section as 4the top which is shown in FIGURE 6 and comprise a at portion or plate 27 which extends across the width of the frame and has on one edge end a flange 28 which extends at right angles to the plate and is then bent again at right angles towards the center of the plate. A flange -29 extends laterally from the other edge of the plate. The sides and top of the window frame also have inwardly extending ribs 30 which form grooves for holding horizontally sliding glass windows 31 and a screen 32. The bottom of the window frame has an outwardly extending -ange 33 with two depending legs 34 which form a window sill and ash the joint bet-Ween the sill and the panel.

As .shown in FIGURE 6 the inner depending leg 34 and the llange 28 t down over the top of the half panel 25. Also, as shown in FIGURE 6 at the top of the window frame the flange 29 extends into a groove 3S which is cut into the underside of the roof of the building in order to flash the joint between the top of the window and the roof. The portions of the flange 29 which extend along the sides of the window frame t into the longitudinally extending slots 19 in the posts 18 and flash the joints between the sides of the windows and the posts. It will also be noted from FIGURES 3 and 6 that the ange 28 of the window frame engages the board facing 17 which forms the inner wall of the building and thereby the ilange 28 acts as interior trim for the window frame.

FIGURES 2 and 3 show how wall sections are joined at the corners of the building. Two wall sections are positioned at right angles to each other with the ends of the inside wall surfaces against each other. An L-shaped sheet metal connector 36 having reversely turned flanges 37 is then slipped downwardly over the two posts with the inwardly turned flanges 37 tting into the slots 19 of the posts in the same manner as the connectors 2t). The hollow space formed by the connectors 36 and the two outer sides of the posts 18 is then lled with a block of foamed plastic 38.

FIGURES 4 and 5 show the construction of the door sections 12. Each door section has an extruded metal door frame which ts between and engages` the sides of the posts forming a part of the wall sections which are next to the door section. As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, the jambs and top transverse piece of the frame have the same cross section in which a plate 39 extends across the width of the door frame and has reversely turned flanges 40 extending from both edges of the plate. The plate also has an inwardly extending U-shaped projection 41 which acts as a doorstop for a door 42. A separate extruded metal piece 43 forms the doorsill.

Referring to FIGURE 4, it will be seen that the inwardly turned flanges 40 on the sides of the door frame engage the inner and outer surfaces of the posts 18 of adjacent wall sections and also trim the door frame.

As earlier stated, my prefabricated building is of the post and rafter beam type of construction. FIGURES 8 and 9 show the manner in which the posts and rafters are joined. A portion of the top of each post 18 is cut away so that when two wall sections are assembled in abutting relationship the cut out portions form a slot extending down from the top of the posts and at right angles to the wall sections. Rafter beams 44 are then placed in the slots and extend from the wall sections to a ridge beam 4S to which they are secured.

The bases 21 of the U-shaped connectors 20 are also slotted adjacent the tops of the connectors to receive the rafter beams but the slots formed in the connectors are not as wide as the .slots formed by the posts so that the side edges 46 of the slots of the corner connectors extend into slots 47 cut in the sides of the rafters 44, thereby flashing the joints between the posts and the rafters. The rafter Ibeams and posts may be permanently secured to each other by screws 48 driven through the leg portions of the connectors 20, and t-he sides of the posts and into the rafter beams.

lFIGURES 6 and 8 show the manner in which the roof is constructed. Sandwich rooting elements such as are shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,111,787 and comprising a foamed core faced with rigid board such as plywood are laid across the rafters 44 and protected from the weather and rendered waterproof by a built up roof formed of alternate layers of bituminous cement and felt such as is described in U.S. Patent No. 3,094,447. The exposed edges of the sandwich elements 49' are protected by extruded metal gravel stops 58.

FIGURES 6 and 7 show the base plate 9 on which the wall sections rest and to which they are secured by lag screws 24 as described above. The plate extends around all the walls of the building and is bolted at intervals by bolts 51 to footers 10. The plate is L-shaped in cross section and the wall sections rest on the horizontally eX- tending arm of the L-shape. The vertical arm of the L- shaped plate has a longitudinally extending open channel 52 which extends downwardly from the top of the vertical arm. The bolts 51 extend into this channel 49 and are threaded with nuts S3 in the channel to secure the plate to the footer. The channel S2 also forms a conduit which may be used for wiring.

It will also be noted from FIGURE-S 6 and 7 that the plate 9 acts as a permanent form for a concrete floor 54. Any suitable flooring such as wood flooring 55 can be used to cover the concrete Hoor 54 and the vertical arm of the plate 9.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have invented a prefabricated building construction the various parts of which can be mass produced at relatively low cost and which can be assembled at a building site with a minimum of labor and materials. The resulting building is structurally sound and is thermally insulated except at the window and door sections. The building is characterized by simplicity in construction and erection.

While I have described certain presently preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A post and rafter beam construction for a prefabricated 'building comprising:

(A) two posts (1) each post forming a part of a separate wall section,

(2) said posts abutting each other,

(3) each post having a cut out portion adjacent its upper end, said portions forming a slot extending downwardly from the tops of the posts and at right angles to the wall of the building of which the posts are a part, and

(4) each post having a longitudinally extending slot in the surface of each post which faces away from the other post,

(B) a rafter beam extending through said slot adjacent the tops of said posts and supported by the posts in said slot, and

(C) a connector for holding said posts against each other, said connector comprising,

(1) an elongated U-shaped sheet metal piece,

(2) the base of said sheet metal piece extending across surfaces of the posts which parallel the wall,

(3) the anges of the U-shaped piece extending to the longitudinally extending slots and having inwardly turned end portions which extend into said slots, and

(4) a slot in the connector extending downwardly from the top of the connector and around the sides and bottom of said rafter beam.

2. A post and rafter beam construction for a prefabricated building as described in claim 1 in which the flanges of said U-shaped piece are screwed to said posts and said rafter beam.

3. A post and rafter beam construction for a prefabricated building as described in claim 1 and having slots in the sides of said rafter beam adjacent said posts, the sides of the slot in said connector extending into said slots in the rafter beam.

4. A wall for a prefabricated building comprising:

(A) a plurality of wall sections positioned side by side,

each section having (l) a panel comprising a foamed plastic core and a facing board secured to each side of the core;

(2) a post at each side of said panel and each having a longitudinally extending slot in the side of the post facing the other post;

(a) the foamed plastic core extending between the sides of the posts which face each other;

(b) one of said facing boards extending into said slots; and

(c) the other facing board extending across surfaces of said posts which parallel the slots and being secured to said surfaces;

(B) a connector for holding two abutting wall sections to each other comprising an elongated U-shaped sheet metal piece (1) the base of which extends across the surfaces of the posts of two abutting sections;

(2) the anges of the U-shaped piece extending to said slots in the posts and having inwardly turned end portions which extend into said slots; and

(C) at least one of said wall sections having (1) a panel shorter than the posts and in which a window frame is inserted between the posts and above said panel;

(2) said frame having along each side (a) a flange which extends into the slot in the opposed post; and

(b) a flange which engages the facing board which extends across a surface of the post.

5. A wall for a Prefabricated building comprising:

(A) a plurality of wall sections positioned side by side,

each section having (1) a panel comprising a foamed plastic core and a facing board secured to each side of the core;

(2) a post at each side of said panel and each having a longitudinally extending slot in the side of the post facing the other post;

(a) the foarned plastic core extending between the sides of the posts which face each other;

(b) one of said facing boards extending into said slots; and

(c) the other facing board extending across surfaces of said posts which parallel the slots and being secured to said surfaces;

(B) a connector for holding two abutting wall sections to each other comprising an elongated U-shaped sheet metal piece (1) the base of which extends across the surfaces of the posts of two abutting sections;

(2) the flanges of the U-shaped piece extending to said slots in the posts and having inwardly turned end portions which extend into said slots; and

(C) a door frame between two of said wall sections,

said frame having along each side l) a laterally extending flange which engages the base of said connector on the abutting wall section; a-nd (2) a laterally extending flange which engages the surface of the abutting wall section which is opposite to the surface engaged by said connector.

6. A wall for a prefabricated building as described in claim 5 in which said frame has a flange extending upwardly from the outer edge of the top of the frame for flashing the joint between the frame and a roof for the building.

7. A wall for a prefabricated building comprising:

(A) a plurality of Wall sections positioned side by side,

each section having (1) a panel comprising a foam'ed plastic core and a facing board secured to each side of the core;

(2) a post at each side of said panel and each having a longitudinally extending slot in the side of the post facing the other post;

(a) the foamed plastic core extending between the sides of the posts which face each other;

(b) one of said facing boards extending into said slots; and

(c) the other facing board extending across surfaces of said posts which parallel the slots and being secured to said surfaces;

(B) a connector for holding two abutting wall sections to each other comprising an elongated U-shaped sheet metal piece (1) the base of which extends across the surfaces of the posts of two abutting sections;

(2) the anges of the U-shaped piece extending to said slots in the posts and having inwardly turned end portions which extend into said slots;

(C) each post having a cut out portion adjacent its upper end, said portions forming a Slot extending :downwardly from the top of the posts and at right angles to the Wall;

(D) each said other facing board including a cut out portion complementary to the cut out portion of and adjacent the upper end of each post;

(E) said cut out portions adapted to receive a section of a rafter bea-m extending at right angles to said Wall and supported by said posts; and

(F) said connector having a slot extending downwardly from the top of the connector and about the sides and bottom of the beam section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS- 1,813,909 7/1931 Brainard et al. 52-601 5 2,074,721 3/1937 Erdmann 52-601 X 2,963,825 12/1960 Douglas 52-94 3,094,447 6/1963 Chamberlain 52-309 X 3,111,787 11/1963 Chamberlain 52-173 3,203,145 8/1965 Raynes 52-584 X 10 HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, ALFRED C. PERI-IAM,

Examiners. G. W. HORNADAY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A POST AND RAFTER BEAM CONSTRUCTION FOR A PREFABRICATED BUILDING COMPRISING: (A) TWO POSTS (1) EACH POST FORMING A PART OF A SEPARATE WALL SECTION, (2) SAID POSTS ABUTTING EACH OTHER, (3) EACH POST HAVING A CUT OUT PORTION ADJACENT ITS UPPER END, SAID PORTIONS FORMING A SLOT EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOPS OF THE POSTS AND AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE WALL OF THE BUILDING OF WHICH THE POSTS ARE A PART, AND (4) EACH POST HAVING A LONGITUDINALL EXTENDING SLOT IN THE SURFACE OF EACH POST WHICH FACES AWAY FROM THE OTHER POST, (B) A RAFTER BEAM EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT ADJACENT THE TOPS OF SAID POSTS AND SUPPORTED BY THE POSTS IN SAID SLOT, AND (C) A CONNECTOR FOR HOLDING SAID POSTS AGAINST EACH OTHER, SAID CONNECTOR COMPRISING, (1) AN ELONGATED U-SHAPED SHEET METAL PIECE, (2) THE BASE OF SAID SHEET METAL PIECE EXTENDING ACROSS SURFACES OF THE POSTS WHICH PARALLEL THE WALL, (3) THE FLANGES OF THE U-SHAPED PIECE EXTENDING TO THE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOTS AND HAVING INWARDLY TURNED END PORTIONS WHICH EXTEND INTO SAID SLOTS, AND (4) A SLOT IN THE CONNECTOR EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOP OF THE CONNECTOR AND AROUND THE SIDES AND BOTTOM OF SAID RAFTER BEAM. 